User behavioral risk assessment

ABSTRACT

A particular activity performed by a particular user of a computing device is identified, for instance, by an agent installed on the computing device. It is determined that the particular activity qualifies as a particular use violation in a plurality of pre-defined use violations. A behavioral risk score for the particular score for the user is determined based at least in part on the determination that the particular activity of the particular user qualifies as a particular use violation. Determining that the particular activity qualifies as a particular use violation can include determining that the particular activity violates a particular rule or event trigger corresponding to a particular pre-defined use violation.

This patent application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C.§120 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/548,276, filedOct. 18, 2011, entitled “USER BEHAVIORAL RISK ASSESSMENT”, and U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/548,292, filed Oct. 18, 2011,entitled “USER BEHAVIORAL RISK ASSESSMENT”, which are each expresslyincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates in general to the field of computer securityand, more particularly, to risk assessment of computing systems.

BACKGROUND

The Internet has enabled interconnection of different computer networksall over the world. The ability to effectively protect and maintainstable computers and systems, however, presents a significant obstaclefor component manufacturers, system designers, computer and networkoperators. This obstacle is made even more complicated due to thecontinually-evolving array of tactics exploited by malicious softwareauthors as well as the never-ceasing development of new computingdevices and software vulnerable to such threats and others. Risk can beassessed for computing devices and environments and may be based on thevulnerabilities present on the respective computing device as well asthreats to which a computing device is exposed. Administrators canutilize risk scores computed for their systems, environments and thosepersons utilizing those environments and systems to appreciate whattypes of security weaknesses and risk face the system, together with theamount of risk, and the devices most affected by risk within the system.It is often the human activities that create risk to computer andnetwork systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of an example computing systemincluding one or more risk assessment tools in accordance with oneembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of an example system includingexample behavioral risk assessment modules in accordance with oneembodiment;

FIGS. 3A-3C are representations of an example identification of abehavioral risk event using example behavioral risk assessment tools inaccordance with at least some embodiments;

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate examples of assessing behavioral risk againstexample risk baselines in accordance with at least some embodiments;

FIGS. 5A-5B are representations of example tasks performed by an exampleclient-based behavioral risk agent in accordance with at least someembodiments;

FIG. 6 is a representation of a composite risk assessment consideringbehavioral risk within a system in accordance with at least someembodiments; and

FIGS. 7A-7C are simplified flowcharts illustrating example operationsassociated with at least some embodiments of the system.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicatelike elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Overview

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in thisspecification can be embodied in methods that include the actions ofidentifying detection, at a computing device, of a particular activityperformed by a particular user using the computing device, determiningthat the particular activity qualifies as a particular use violation ina plurality of pre-defined use violations, and determining a behavioralrisk score for the particular user based at least in part on thedetermination that the particular activity of the particular userqualifies as a particular use violation.

Further, in another general aspect, a system can be provided includingat least one processor device, at least one memory element, and a userbehavioral risk analysis tool. The user behavioral risk analysis tool,when executed by the processor, can identify detection, at a particularcomputing device, of a particular activity performed by a particularuser using the particular computing device, determine that theparticular activity qualifies as a particular use violation in aplurality of pre-defined use violations, and determine a behavioral riskscore for the particular user based at least in part on thedetermination that the particular activity of the particular userqualifies as a particular use violation.

These and other embodiments can each optionally include one or more ofthe following features. Determining that the particular activityqualifies as a particular use violation can include determining that theparticular activity violates a particular rule corresponding to theparticular use violation, the particular rule included in a plurality ofrules corresponding to the plurality of pre-defined use violations. Theplurality of rules can include an extensible set of rules adapted to besupplemented and modified by user inputs and at least one rule in theplurality of rules can be a user-defined rule. The plurality ofpre-defined use violations can include less than all of a set ofavailable pre-defined use violations and the plurality of pre-defineduse violations can include a first set of pre-defined use violationsidentified as corresponding to the particular user. The particular usercan be one of a plurality of users including a second user, where asecond set of pre-defined use violations corresponds to the second user,the second set of pre-defined use violations does not include theparticular use violations, and performance of the particular activity bythe second user does not qualify as a use violation. The first set ofpre-defined use violations can be identified as corresponding to theparticular user based at least in part on at least one of a tenure ofthe particular user in an organization, a role of the particular user inan organization, a title of the particular user in an organization, ageographical location of the particular user, and a risk profile of theparticular user, among other examples. The first set of pre-definedviolations can correspond to the computing device, the computing deviceincluded in a plurality of computing devices in a computing system. Thebehavioral score can include sub-scores representing reputation of theparticular user in each of a plurality of use categories. The pluralityof use categories can include, among other examples, user email usereputation, user Internet use reputation, user authentication riskreputation, user external memory device use reputation, and user sharedsystem resource use reputation. At least one countermeasure can betriggered to counter risk associated with the particular use violation,the countermeasure triggered in response to determining that theparticular activity qualifies as the particular use violation.Triggering the countermeasure can include identifying that theparticular use violation exceeds a particular threshold. The particularthreshold can include at least one of a time-based threshold identifyinga length of time of the particular use violation, a repetition-basedthreshold identifying a number of repeated instances of the particularuse violation by the particular user, a time-of-day threshold, and aseverity-based threshold identifying a determined severity of theparticular use violation, among other examples.

Further, embodiments can include one or more of the additional,following features. A software-implemented agent installed on thecomputing device can detect the particular activity and send informationto a remote user behavioral risk analysis engine describing the detectedparticular activity. The agent can determine that the particularactivity qualifies as the particular use violation and the informationsent to the remote user behavioral risk analysis engine can identify thedetermination of the particular use violation. The user behavioral riskanalysis engine can use the sent information to determine that theparticular activity qualifies as the particular use violation. The userbehavioral risk analysis engine can further use corroborating datareceived from a security tool monitoring activities of the computingdevice remote from the computing device to determine that the particularactivity qualifies as the particular use violation. An identity of theparticular user can be identified in connection with the performance ofthe particular activity. Detection of a second activity can beidentified at a second computing device, the second activity performedby the particular user using the computing device. It can be determinedthat the second activity qualifies as at least one use violation in theplurality of pre-defined use violations, the behavioral risk score forthe particular user further based, at least in part, on thedetermination that the second activity of the particular user qualifiesas at least one use violation. In some instances, the second activitycan be detected as having been performed by a second user using thecomputing device and a second behavioral risk score can be determinedfor the second user based at least in part on the determination that thesecond activity qualifies as at least one use violation in the pluralityof pre-defined use violations. A behavioral profile can be associatedwith the particular user describing expected tendencies of theparticular user during use of a computing system including the computingdevice, and determination that the particular activity qualifies as aparticular use violation in a plurality of pre-defined use violationscan corroborate a determination that other activity on the computingsystem associated with the particular user deviates from the behavioralprofile. Determining that the other activity on the computing systemassociated with the particular user deviates from the behavioral profilecan be determined from feedback data received from at least one securitytool monitoring components of the computing system remote from thecomputing device. The feedback data can be received from an agentinstalled on the particular computing device, and be based on theparticular activity's detection by the agent.

Some or all of the features may be computer-implemented methods orfurther included in respective systems or other devices for performingthis described functionality. The details of these and other features,aspects, and implementations of the present disclosure are set forth inthe accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features,objects, and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from thedescription and drawings, and from the claims.

Example Embodiments

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating an exampleimplementation of a computing system 100 including a plurality of enduser computing devices (e.g., 105, 110, 115, 120, 125) used by any oneof a plurality of end users (e.g., 130, 135) associated with anorganization. The organization or enterprise can include an enterprisecomputing system 140 utilizing enterprise computing networks 145, suchas local area networks (LANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), wirelesslocal area networks (WiLANs), among others used by the enterprisecomputing system 140. The end user computing devices (105, 110, 115,120, 125) can be used within enterprise computing system 140 andenterprise networks 145 (referred to collectively hereafter asenterprise system 140) and can access, modify, create, run, delete, orotherwise use resources of enterprise system 140. Further, in someinstances, some devices (e.g., 115) can be accessed and used by multipleusers within an organization, for instance, as shared machines thatindividual users 130, 135 can log-in to and use.

Additionally, end user devices 105, 110, 115, 120, 125 can also beadapted to access other resources, remote from and unaffiliated withenterprise system 140, including web-based applications and resourcesand services hosted by servers 150, 155, 160, 165 over public networkssuch as the Internet, or other private networks not associated withenterprise system 140. For example, users within enterprise system 140,in some examples, can access the Internet 170 and web-based resourcesover enterprise network 145, for instance, while connected to theenterprise system 140 and its network 145. Additionally, in modernenterprises utilizing mobile computing devices such as laptop, tablet,and smartphone computing devices, it is not uncommon for users 130, 135to use their devices 105, 110, 115, 120, 125 in different environmentsand away (physically as well as logically) from the enterprise system140. For example, a work-issued laptop (e.g., 110, 125) can be assigneda user 130, 135 for use within the enterprise system 140. However, atthe end of the workday, the issued user 130, 135 may be able to take thedevice home, connect to private home networks, WiFi hotspots, mobilebroadband networks, and the like, and access the enterprise system 140via, for instance, a VPN connection, as well as use the devices (e.g.,105, 110, 120, 125) for private using, such as web surfing.

In general, “servers,” “clients,” and “computing devices,” includingdevices used in system 100, can comprise electronic computing devicesoperable to receive, transmit, process, store, or manage data andinformation associated with the system 100. As used in this document,the terms “computer,” “computing device,” “processor,” or “processingdevice” are intended to encompass any suitable processing device. Forexample, the system 100 may be implemented using computers other thanservers, including server pools. Further, any, all, or some of thecomputing devices may be adapted to execute any operating system,including Linux, UNIX, Windows Server, etc., as well as virtual machinesadapted to virtualize execution of a particular operating system,including customized and proprietary operating systems.

Servers, clients, and computing devices (e.g., 105, 110, 115, 120, 125,140, 150, 155, 160, 165) can each include one or more processors,computer-readable memory, and one or more interfaces, among otherfeatures and hardware. Computing devices 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 140,150, 155, 160, 165 can include any suitable software component ormodule, or computing device(s) capable of hosting, serving, accessing,or otherwise making use of software applications and services, includinglocally-installed, web-based, distributed, enterprise, and/orcloud-based software applications. For instance, servers (e.g., 140) canbe configured to host, serve, or otherwise manage web services orapplications, such as SOA-based or enterprise web services, orapplications interfacing, coordinating with, or dependent on otherenterprise services, including security-focused applications. In someinstances, a server, system, subsystem, or computing device can beimplemented as some combination of computing devices that can be hosted,for instance, on a common computing system, server, server pool, orcloud computing environment and share computing resources, includingshared memory, processors, and interfaces.

End user devices 105, 110, 115, 120, 125 can include desktop, laptop,and tablet computing devices, as well as other computing devices such assmartphones, personal digital assistants, video game consoles,internet-enabled televisions, and other devices capable of connectingwirelessly to an at least partially wired network over one or morewireless technologies and protocols. Attributes of endpoint devices 105,110, 115, 120, 125 can differ widely from device to device, includingthe operating systems and collection of software programs loaded,installed, executed, operated, or otherwise accessible to the device. Adevice's set of programs can include operating systems, applications,plug-ins, applets, virtual machines, machine images, drivers, executablefiles, and other software-based programs capable of being run, executed,or otherwise used by the respective devices (e.g., 105, 110, 115, 120,125). Other device attributes can also include peripheral devicesconnected or otherwise accessible to the device, and the types ofnetwork technology for which the device is adapted.

Each endpoint device can include at least one graphical display deviceand user interfaces allowing a user to view and interact with graphicaluser interfaces of applications and other programs provided in system100. In general, endpoint devices can include any electronic computingdevice operable to receive, transmit, process, and store any appropriatedata associated with the software environment of FIG. 1. It will beunderstood that there may be any number of endpoint devices associatedwith system 100, as well as any number of endpoint devices external tosystem 100. Further, the term “client,” “endpoint device,” and “user”may be used interchangeably as appropriate without departing from thescope of this disclosure. Moreover, while each endpoint device may bedescribed in terms of being used by one user, this disclosurecontemplates that many users may use one computer or that one user mayuse multiple computers.

While FIG. 1 is described as containing or being associated with aplurality of elements, not all elements illustrated within system 100 ofFIG. 1 may be utilized in each alternative implementation of the presentdisclosure. Additionally, one or more of the elements described hereinmay be located external to system 100, while in other instances, certainelements may be included within or as a portion of one or more of theother described elements, as well as other elements not described in theillustrated implementation. Further, certain elements illustrated inFIG. 1 may be combined with other components, as well as used foralternative or additional purposes in addition to those purposesdescribed herein.

Different users 130, 135 can make different use of the various devices105, 110, 115, 120, 125 issued to or otherwise associated with the user.For instance, users can maintain different use habits, such asparticular web browsing and electronic communication habits, as well ashabits pertaining to supporting security measures on the device (e.g.,facilitating scans for malware and vulnerabilities, maintaining strongpasswords for the device, etc.) and properly updating of the device(e.g., with latest patches, updates, service packs, etc.). Further,while some users may make use of devices 105, 110, 115, 120, 125 bothwithin the enterprise system 140 as well as outside enterprise system140 (i.e., within other systems), other users may dedicate use of aparticular device for enterprise system 140 use, while dedicating otherdevices to private use. In short, end user behavior can vary wildly userto user and even include behavior contrary to policies of a particularenterprise. Additionally, a similarly diverse array of devices 105, 110,115, 120, 125 can be used in connection with enterprise system 140, andthese devices 105, 110, 115, 120, 125 can present their own uniqueattributes, vulnerabilities, and functions that can affect security orrisk within an enterprise, especially when combined with the usebehavior of different users.

In light of the above, users' (e.g., 130, 135) behavior in connectionwith an enterprise system 140, or other computing system, including thedevices 105, 110, 115, 120, 125 used by the users within the system 140,can affect the security vulnerabilities, threats, and overall riskfacing both the users' devices and the system (e.g., 140) at large. Intraditional systems, assessment of risk within a system typically turnson an analysis of the vulnerabilities of various devices and componentswithin the system. Such vulnerabilities, however, can be enhanced,originate from, or even be mitigated based on the particular users ofthe system. Accordingly, in some implementations, user behavior can beconsidered and included in risk assessments of a computing system usingsecurity tools such as those illustrated in the example of FIG. 2.

Turning to FIG. 2, a simplified block diagram 200 is shown of an examplesystem including an example implementation of security and other systemand user assessment tools (e.g., 205, 208, 210, 215, 220) adapted tocalculate or assess risk associated with user behavior. Such tools, insome implementations, can be provided in connection with or integratedin larger computer security systems, suites, or tools, such as securitytool deployment 210 or assessment system 225. Security tools and systemscan be provided, in some instances, through or in connection with anenterprise computing environment 240 and be deployed to monitorsecurity, events, and related risk within the environment 240. Othersecurity and event detection tools can run in whole or in part onendpoint computing devices, such as end user devices 230, 235 usedwithin a system of devices, such as an enterprise software environment240.

Assessment system 225 can be provided that includes one or moreprocessing devices 242 and one or more memory devices 244 used inconnection with a behavioral risk engine 205, event detection systems208, and security tool deployment 245. The security tool deployment 245can represent individual and parallel-functioning security tools or asuite of security tools, including combinations thereof. For example,security tool deployment 245, in some instances, can include each of oneor more firewalls 246, web gateways 248, mail gateways 250, client-baseduser risk assessment engines 252, host intrusion protection (HIP) tools254, network intrusion protection (NIP) tools 255, anti-virus andanti-malware tools 256, host-based and/or network-based data lossprevention (DLP) tools 258, vulnerability managers 260, system policycompliance managers 262, asset criticality tools 264, securityinformation management (SIM) products, among other security tools.Security tools (e.g., 246-266) can monitor, scan, and collect dataexchanged with, from, to, or within enterprise system 240, includingdevices, programs, and tools operating in connection with enterprisesystem 240. Such data collected from the risk and security scans,assessments, data gathering, data correlation, analytics, and othertasks can be stored as assessment records 268 within one or more datastructures 270 maintained by the assessment system 225. Further, otherevents relating to user behavior but not directly tied to the securitymanagement or detection within a system, can also be detected andassessment records 268 generated (e.g., using event detection systems208) for consideration together with data received from security tooldeployment 210 and for use in assessing risk associated with userbehavior within the system.

Assessment records 268, including or based on data collected using eventdetection tools 208, security tools 246-266 can be associated with oneor more users of enterprise system 240 to develop risk assessments ofusers' behavior. For instance, user sign-in or other authentication dataassociated with the user can be identified in connection with actions ofa particular device or affecting particular system resources. Further,in some implementations, user identifications (IDs) can be associatedwith device identifiers, such as MAC or IP addresses used by the devicesin the system 240, and actions of a user can be identified based on anidentification of the particular device used in the action. Indeed, datacan be obtained from a plurality of tools (e.g., tools 208, 246-266) andused to develop a risk/security (“behavioral”) profile or assessment ofan aspect of a particular user's system use. As an illustrative example,a web gateway 248 and firewall 246, during their respective operationwithin enterprise system 240 can each collect data respecting aparticular user's use of the Internet using enterprise network elementsor devices assigned to, registered on, or otherwise used in enterprisesystem 240. Such data collected from the web gateway 248 and firewall246 can describe, for instance, a user's attempts to access “red” or“yellow” web sites (or sites known to pose a particular security risk orto be associated with violations of a particular system or enterprise'spolicy), and serve as at least the partial basis for a risk assessmentof the user's behavior on the system 240 (e.g., relating to a user'srisky Internet using system infrastructure or devices).

In some implementations, a behavioral risk engine 205 can be included inor otherwise operate in connection with assessment system 225, forinstance, in connection with the surveying and analysis of assessmentrecords 268 generated by a plurality of security tools 246-266performing security tasks and assessments on an assessment system 225,as well as other modules including counter measure engine 276, riskcalculator 278, and other modules and functionality. In one particularexample implementation, behavioral risk engine 250 can include asecurity statistics manager 272, a security tool coordinator 274,behavioral risk event detector 275, among other modules andfunctionality. Security tool coordinator 274 can be used to coordinatedata collection from the plurality of security tools 246-266, includingidentifying security data collected from the security tools 246-266 inassessment records 268. Further, security tool coordinator 274 canfunction in cooperation with countermeasure engine 276 in launching andaccounting for countermeasures realized using security tools 246-266 inresponse to detecting events relating to particular users' behavior.

Indeed, behavioral risk engine 250 can further include securitystatistics manager 272 adapted to analyze previously-collected or-generated data from a plurality of security tools 246-266, to performstatistical risk assessments of particular users. For instance, usingassessment data 268, security statistics manager 272 can develop one ormore behavioral profiles characterizing a user's typical or expectedbehavior or tendencies within the system based on an aggregation of datadescribing aspects of the user's previous behavior in the system.Further, in some examples, a behavioral risk profile for a user caninclude categorical risk profiles or be based on separate risk profilesthat are developed characterizing types or categories of user behaviorwithin the system 240, such as email behavior, network usage, access anduse of enterprise-owned resources (such as confidential content or dataof the enterprise), internet usage using system-affiliated devices,password protection, policy compliance, among others. Further, acomposite risk profile or score (e.g., calculated in connection withrisk calculator 278) can be generated or calculated for a user based onan aggregation of use- or type-specific user profiles. Still further,groups of users can be identified, such as users within a particulargeographic location, office, business unit, demographic group, etc. andgroup-based risk profiles can be calculated based on an aggregation ofrisk scores or profiles of users within the respective group. In eachinstance, events and violations can be detected based on a user'sdeviation from an associated, statistically-predicted behavioralprofile, either for the user, a group to which the user belongs, or allusers (e.g., the behavior constitutes something the user doesn'tnormally do, that users like the user don't normally do, or that anyuser usually does, etc.).

User events, or events detected at or involving end user devices,evidencing a security event, threat, or other event contributing to orenhancing the risk experienced on a system 240 (collectively, riskevents) can be detected, for instance, using risk event detector 275. Insome implementations, risk event detector 275 can assess or detectevents evidencing a deviation from an established risk profilecalculated or otherwise determined for a particular user (or group ofusers) using security statistics manager 272. Risk events can be furtherdetected from events and activities detected and from data collected atvarious tools 208, 246-266 in security tool deployment 210. Events anddata collected from tools 208, 246-266 can be synthesized or otherwiseprocessed (e.g., through the creation of corresponding assessmentrecords 268) and compared against a corresponding user's risk profile todetermine if the detected event rises to the level of a risk event.

Detection of risk events, for instance, using risk event detector 275can prompt changes to a user's risk profile (e.g., using securitystatistic manager 272), a user's risk score (even a risk scorecorresponding to an associated device or the system 240 itself) (e.g.,using risk score calculator 278), and/or the initiation of one or morecountermeasures to attempt to remedy or mitigate against the detectedevent (e.g., using countermeasure engine 276).

Device- or host-based security tools (e.g., 215, 220) can also bedeployed on devices (e.g., 230, 235) used within system 240 for use indetecting and assessing system risk contributed by the behavior ofparticular users (i.e., the users of the respective devices 230, 235).In some implementations, behavioral risk agents 215, 220 can includemodules such as a behavior monitor 293 a-b, rule assessment engine 294a-b, rule manager 295 a-b, user manager 296 a-b, counter measure engine298 a-b, among other examples. Further, behavioral risk agents 215, 220can communicate with and function in connection with one or more toolsor modules in a backend security system, such as assessment system 225,to perform security and risk assessments of user behavior at the devicesused by the users.

End user devices 230, 235, in addition to hosting at least a portion ofbehavioral risk agent 215, can include one or more processing devices(e.g., 280, 284), and one or more memory devices or elements (282, 285),used in the execution of one or more programs (e.g., 290, 292) onoperating systems (e.g., 286, 288). A behavioral risk agent 215, 220 canalso be executed on the device, and can be a software program adapted tomonitor activities on the device 230, 235, for instance, in connectionwith behavioral risk assessments. One or more users can log-in to, orotherwise be associated with a device 230, 235, the associationidentified, for instance, using user manager 296 a-b. Based on theidentity of the user (e.g., as identified using user manager 296 a-b), aset of rules can be identified, for instance, using rule manager 295a-b, that to the identified user and/or particular device beingmonitored by the behavioral risk agent 215. At least a portion of rulemanager 295 a-b can be maintained, in some implementations, by a backendsecurity tool, such as client-based user risk assessment backend 252. Adatabase of rule-based, heuristic, and/or behavioral security violationsor risk events can be maintained, for instance, using client-based userrisk assessment backend 252. A set of rules, potential securityviolations, or risk events can be based on the identity of the user anddepend, for instance, on the identity of the user, including the pastuse history of the user (e.g., as calculated by security statisticsmanager 272), the role or responsibilities of the user within theenterprise, the location of the user, and so on. Further, rules,violations, and events can be further based on the particularcombination of user and system assets. For example, varying rules,standards, scores, and event triggers can be defined based on particularcombinations of users, systems (e.g., computing devices), and networkconnections, among other examples.

In some instances, rules can be maintained for some users in the system240 that restrict access or privileges to certain enterprise resources,operations (e.g., creating tunnels into the enterprise network, accessto certain trade secrets, human resources (HR) records, customer lists,email attachment size restrictions, etc.) that may not be desirable toenforce against other users, such as executive officers, IT personnel,HR personnel, etc. Indeed, in some instances, rule sets can be appliedto defined groups of users, for instance, based on their geographiclocation, business units, title, pay grade, tenure or seniority in anorganization, risk profile or reputation, and so on, so as to not allowrules that apply to one group to interfere with the anticipatedlegitimate uses of the system by persons in other defined groups.Further, changes to a user's profile can be detected, for instanceautomatically from HR record data or in response to a user updaterequest, using user manager 296 a-b so as to also, dynamically, updatethe set of rules that apply to the particular user.

Behavior monitor 293 a-b can monitor activities on a device (e.g., 230,235) associated with a particular user and collect data for use indetermining whether the monitored activities violate particular rulesdetermined for the particular user. As noted above, rules delineatingacceptable uses of a system by a user from unacceptable uses can be atleast partially dependent on the detected identity of the device's user.In some implementations, behavior monitor 293 a-b can be aware of rulesapplicable to a particular user (e.g., logged-in to the device) andmonitor the user's interactions with the device to detect activitiesrelevant to the rules identified for the particular user. In someinstances, the set of rules corresponding to the user (and device) canbe loaded, locally, onto the device hosting the respective behavioralrisk agent 215, for instance, for access and use by the behavior monitor293 a-b. In other instances, the set of rules for the particular userand/or device can be maintained remote from the device. For instance,rather than providing the end user device 230, 235 with thecorresponding rule set itself, a set of tasks, metrics, events, orinstructions can be provided (e.g., through rule manager 295 a-b) foruse by the behavior monitor 293 a-b in identifying the types of user anddevice events, tasks, and activities to be monitored in connection withthe detection of potential violations of the corresponding rule set.

To illustrate some of the principles above, in one particular example, arule included in a particular rule set can dictate the amount of datathat can be uploaded from the device to a removable storage medium(e.g., an external hard drive, CD, DVD, Blu-ray disk, thumb drive, etc.)per day (i.e., to protect against data theft). In some implementations,logic can be provided at the behavioral risk agent 215, 220 (e.g.,through rule assessment engine 294 a-b) to allow the behavioral riskagent 215 to both monitor activities at the device (e.g., using behaviormonitor 293 a-b), identify rules applicable to the device and itsparticular user (e.g., using rule manager 295 a-b and user manager 296a-b), and assess whether the monitored actions (and correspondingcollected data) violate one of the identified rules (e.g., using ruleassessment engine 294 a-b). In one illustrative example, it can bedetected, using various tools (e.g., 208, 246-266), that a particularuser has used their computing device, while connected to an enterprisenetwork, to burn twenty CDs worth of data. An event can be triggeredbased on the detection of this behavior at the device (e.g., 230).Detection of this activity can cause a violation, risk event, or otherevents to be determined or triggered, either at the device 230 (e.g.,using behavioral risk agent 215) or assessment system 225 receiving datareporting the activity, based for instance on this particular behaviorbeing a violation of a pre-defined rule or threshold, a deviation fromstatistically-anticipated behavior for the specific user, for any userof the particular device, or any user in the system, among otherexamples.

As implied in the above example, in some implementations, user manager296 a-b can identify the user of the device and rule manager 295 a-b canquery backend support (e.g., client-based user risk assessment backend252 or tool coordinator 274) to obtain rule set data for the device,user, or particular device-user combination. Such rule set data, ratherthan including the rules itself, can include data commensurate with thelogic of behavior risk agent 215, 220, such as data defining the typesof tasks, functions, and data to be monitored (e.g., using behaviormonitor 293 a-b). In some implementations, behavior monitor 293 a-b canmonitor events, data, and user actions and report these actions to abackend module (e.g., client-based user risk assessment backend 252) andallow the backend module to determine the significance of the monitoredbehavior. In other instances, a measure of logic can be provided at thedevice 230, 235, such as through rule assessment engine 294 a-b,allowing data and events captured by the behavior monitor 293 a-b to beat least partially analyzed by the behavioral risk agent 215 inconnection with determining whether the monitored behavior violates aparticular rule identified for the device and its user. In short,functionality described in connection behavioral risk agent 215 can bemodularized and distributed, both among components of the behavioralrisk agents as well as between tools operating locally at the end userdevices 230, 235 and remote backend security tools (e.g., running inconnection with assessment system 225). In some instances, it can beadvantageous to provide at least some reporting to backend securitytools from the behavioral risk agent 215, thereby allowing reported userbehavioral rule violations to be reported for inclusion in thegeneration of risk assessments, both for the user, the device, and thesystem, and to provide additional intelligence in connection with theidentification of risk events (e.g., detected using event detector 275).

Rule data used by the behavioral risk agent 215 can, in some instances,be stored locally at the device, for instance, in connection with userprofile data cataloguing registered users for the device. In otherinstances, rule data can be loaded dynamically (e.g., by rule manager295 a-b) each time a different user logs-in to the device. Indeed, theamount of functionality that is provided locally at the device (i.e.,through a particular installation of a behavioral risk agent) can bebased on the capabilities of the particular device (e.g., processingspeed, network communication speed, memory, etc.). Further, a set ofrules maintained for a particular user of a particular device can beupdated dynamically (e.g., using rule manager 295 a-b, for instance,pulling updates or receiving pushed updates from a backend service, suchas through client-based user risk assessment backend 252). For instance,a change in the device can be detected triggering an update in theapplicable rules and event triggers for the device, such as an operatingsystem or application update, a change in the applications or programsinstalled on the device, the presence of a particular countermeasure,among other examples. Threats motivating the creation of certain rulescan also evolve, prompting changes to rules sets. Moreover, users canchange, both organically (as their behavior matures or changesnaturally) or in connection with changes within the users' status (e.g.,such as a promotion, change in department, change in occupation status(e.g., from temp to permanent, or from active to departing, etc.), andso on). Such changes can also be detected and prompt both the dynamicupdating of a set of rules corresponding to attributes of the user anddevice, as well as the communication of these updates through rule datato corresponding behavioral risk agents 215, 220.

In addition to changing, adding, and updating system usage rules andevent triggers (used hereindynamically, for instance, based on detectedchanges on the monitored device or in a user's behavioral profile, otherchanges can be made based on user inputs and requests, such as from anadministrator of the system. Indeed, the set of available rules andtriggers (e.g., based on behavioral anomalies detected beyond aparticular threshold, or trigger) within a system as well as theparticular sub-sets of rules applicable to particular devices and/orusers can be extensible sets. As the types and number of vulnerabilitiesand threats facing computing systems increase, rules and triggers can beadded to sets for use in identifying such vulnerabilities as well asuser activity within the system that trigger, enhance the risk of, orotherwise relate to such vulnerabilities. Indeed, custom rules andtriggers can be defined by users of the system, such as systemadministrators, in connection with the detection of system specificthreats or vulnerabilities known to the system administrators.Accordingly, as new rules and triggers are added, the functionality (andrule and trigger sets information maintained by some implementations) ofbehavioral risk agents 215 can be similarly extended and modified, insome cases, dynamically in response to a detected update in acorresponding rule set.

Detection of use violations and risk events using behavioral risk agents215, 220 operating at the end-user-device-level can be used in theformulation of risk profiles, scores, or other user reputation scores.For instance, a user can be identified as violating multipleemail-related-rules at one or more devices monitored by behavioral riskagents 215, 220 (e.g., at both a desktop or laptop computing station andat an email-enabled smartphone device), and the user's risk orreputation score can be downgraded as a result. In some instances, usingevents and violations identified at the device-level using behavioralrisk agents 215, 220 can be reported to assessment system 225 forconsideration in generating a risk assessment or score for the user.Further, a user's risk score or reputation can be categorized, withdistinct risk scores being generated in each of a variety of categories,from the events detected at the device 230, 235 using behavioral riskagents 215, 220, such as separate scores communicating the user'sbehavioral reputation in email use, internet use, policy compliance,authentication efforts (e.g., password strength), and so on.

Detected rule violations and event triggers at an end user device,corresponding to a particular user (and/or end user device), can alsotrigger the initiation of countermeasures, both on a system (e.g., 240)or network level, as well as at the end user device level. For instance,countermeasure engine 298 a-b can be used to enable, install, orotherwise trigger countermeasures at the end user device 230, 235.Returning for simplicity to the example of monitoring relating to a rulelimiting the amount of data that can be uploaded from a machine, in oneparticular example, identification of a violation of the rule, based onmonitoring by behavior monitor 293 a-b, can be communicated tocountermeasure engine 298 a-b and cause a corresponding countermeasureto be applied. For instance, in one example, a violation of the dataupload limit rule (or a threshold-based trigger measuring a detectedbehavioral anomaly) can prompt the countermeasure engine 298 a-b tocause a disk drive or USB port to be temporarily disabled (e.g., 24hours) at the device, among other potential countermeasures designed toslow or stop the uploading of data to removable storage media. Othercountermeasures can be launched at an end user device, such as afirewall, disabling one or more network connections, locking the device,requiring re-authentication of the device by a user, among others.

Detection of risk events, whether by risk event detector 275, based ondetected departures from statistical profiles or expected user behavior,or based on the detection of a user behavioral rule violation (based onrule-based monitoring by behavioral risk agent 215), can triggercountermeasures to counteract the risk event. While risk events aredetected differently in these two approaches (i.e., one based onstatistically significant deviations from an expected norm, and othersbased on explicit rule violations or series of explicit rulesviolations), detected risk events can be used together to enhance theeffectiveness, intelligence, and accuracy of behavioral risk tools. Forinstance, a behavioral profile can be identified for a particular userand risk events can be detected based on subsequent user behavior thatdeviates in a statistically significant way from the behavioral profile(e.g., beyond a particular threshold). In the abstract, behaviordeviating from what is expecting may raise warning signs that somethingis amiss. However, a statistical anomaly based on user behavior may notevidence a true security or risk event. However, in addition toidentifying a statistical deviation from an established behavioralprofile for a particular user, behavioral risk agents 215, 220 canidentify rule violations involving the same user and corresponding tothe identified deviation from the user's behavioral profile.Accordingly, in some instances, detected deviations from an establisheduser behavioral profile can be correlated to and corroborated withdetected rule violations based on monitoring by behavioral risk agents215, 220. As such, countermeasures, adjustments to the behavioralprofile, and other actions triggered from a detected security event canbe made with more confidence and accuracy based on the corroboration ofa deviation from the behavioral profile with corresponding detectedbehavioral rule violations. Similarly, additional intelligence can beprovided in connection with a detected rule violation based on acorroborating risk event detected in response to an identified deviationfrom a behavioral profile.

Further, heuristic modeling and analysis can be supplemented by suchdetected events and the circumstances and attributes connected to theevents, to potentially identify reasons or causes of a particulardetected event. For example, a deviation from a user's behavioralprofile can be detected, for instance, in connection with the user'saccess of particular system resources. However, based on rules definedfor the user (e.g., based on the user's security clearance, or positionwithin the enterprise) the accessing of the resources can be concludedor predicted to be legitimate, even though these actions arestatistically abnormal for the user. As countermeasures, includingsevere and drastic countermeasures, can be triggered based on a detectedsecurity threat or risk event, it can be important to identify thecircumstances of an identified risk event or security threat so as toproperly assess the severity or reality of a risk event and trigger aproportional countermeasure. Indeed, causing a disproportionatelyheavy-handed countermeasure to be triggered (e.g., based on anincomplete picture of the triggering risk event), such as blockingnetwork traffic or access to devices accessed by a particular device orlocking down a machine, among several other examples, can be astroublesome to an enterprise as the perceived threat in some cases.Similarly, serious security threats and risk events need to be detectedaccurately and dealt with accordingly. As a result, providing bothstatistical- and rule-based behavioral risk assessments can beparticularly valuable in developing a robust and corroborated set ofinformation corresponding to particular events at computing deviceinvolving a particular user.

FIGS. 3A-3C are representations 300 a-c of an example identification ofa behavioral risk event using example behavioral risk assessment toolsin a computing system 302, such as those shown and described inconnection with FIG. 2. Turning now to FIG. 3A, a block diagram 300 a isshown illustrating a plurality of security tools 305, 310, 315, 320,325, 330 used to assess risk and perform security tasks with respect toa particular computing system 302. Assessment data 335, 340, 345, 350,355, 360 can be collected or generated at each of security tools 305,310, 315, 320, 325, 330 and communicated to a behavioral risk analysistool 365. Further, users of the system 302 can be identified inassessment data 335, 340, 345, 350, 355, 360 in connection with theevents reported by the assessment data 335, 340, 345, 350, 355, 360. Forinstance, a particular user's use of one or more computing devices 375,380, 385 within the system can be identified corresponding to eventsreported in assessment data 335, 340, 345, 350, 355, 360. Accordingly, abehavioral profile 370 can be generated describing statistical trends ofa user's behavior within the system 302 based on an aggregation ofassessment data 335, 340, 345, 350, 355, 360 collected from theplurality of security tools 305, 310, 315, 320, 325, 330.

Turning to FIG. 3B, security tools 305, 310, 315, 320, 325, 330 cancontinue to monitor events on the system 302 following the generation ofone or more behavioral profiles 370, including events involving orotherwise corresponding to a user's use of a system 302. For instance auser's interaction with or use of system resources (e.g., at 388) usinga particular system device (e.g., 380) can be detected by or triggerinvolvement of one or more security tools (e.g., 305) used in the system302. Assessment data can be generated in connection with the detectedevent (e.g., based on user 388), and the assessment data can be used tocompare 390 the underlying detected use or activity against theestablished behavioral profile 370 of the user, as well as to, in someinstances, update or otherwise modify the behavioral profile 370 basedon this most recent detected activity involving the user. Comparing theassessment data relating to a particular identified user (e.g., ofsystem device 380) can be used to see if the detected use 388 indicatesa deviation from the expected behavior of the user (e.g., based on thebehavioral profile 370).

Turning to FIG. 3C, an example is shown where a first security tool 305communicates assessment data 392 to behavioral risk analysis tool 365relating to a particular user's actions at device 380. Behavioral riskanalysis tool 365 can analyze the assessment data 392 against one ormore behavioral profiles 370 corresponding to the particular user anddetermine that a risk event has likely occurred. The determination ofthe risk event from information provided by one or more security tools(e.g., 305) can be used to trigger a countermeasure to counteract ormitigate against the risk event. In some instances, the countermeasurecan be enforced or implemented using the same security tool (e.g., 305)that provided assessment data 392 leading to the triggering of thecountermeasure, a different security tool within a security system, orcombinations of security tools within a security system. In the exampleof FIG. 3C, a countermeasure is identified that is proportional to andsuitable for addressing a particular security event. Further it can bedetermined that another security tool 320 possesses at least some of thefunctionality for implementing the identified countermeasure.Accordingly, behavioral risk analysis tool 365 can request 396 orcommunicate that the particular countermeasure be implemented using thesecurity tool 320. The request can include parameters indicating how,where, when, and under what additional conditions the countermeasureshould be implemented. For example, the countermeasure can beimplemented over a temporary period, implemented so as to be focused onthe particular user's behavior or particular device 380, among otherexamples. Accordingly, security tool 320 can apply 398 a countermeasureagainst the particular user's use of the system. While the schematicdiagram 300 c of FIG. 3C represents the implementation of acountermeasure as being directed specifically at device 380, it shouldbe appreciated that this arrow merely represents that the countermeasureis being applied against or in response to a user's use of device 380and that the countermeasure, depending on its characteristics andfunctions, can be logically or physically implemented at othercomponents of the system, including components, such as network elementsof the system, remote from the device 380 prompting the countermeasure.

As noted above, a wide and continuously evolving set of risk events canexist and be detectable by behavioral risk analysis tools such asbehavioral risk analysis tool 365. Accordingly, a similarly diverse andexpansive set of countermeasures can be identified and launched tocounteract identified risk events. In some instances, availablecountermeasures can depend on the set of security tools available orused by a security system as well as the individual functionalities ofdevices, components, software, and hardware of the monitored the systemservices by the behavioral risk analysis tool. As but one illustrativeexample, risk events relating to misuse of system resources through theaccessing of particular websites, such as sites identified aspotentially risky, of questionable repute, or as known sources ofmalware can trigger a range of different countermeasures. For instance,routers, internet gateways, anti-malware tools, authentication engines,and other tools and components can possess functionality for filtering,shaping network traffic, restricting or blocking network access, forcingfrequent re-authentication, among other countermeasures, includingvarying degrees thereof.

In some instances, a range of countermeasures may be available for aparticular type of risk event, however, it may be desirable to scale orproportion the countermeasures applied against a detected risk eventbased on a determined severity of the risk event or based on particularconditions that potentially mitigate against the risk or apparentmaliciousness of a user's actions. For example, if a deviation from abehavioral profile (e.g., 370) is identified evidencing a particularuser's attempts to access red sites, the detected activity may at firstbe given latitude in terms of qualifying as a risk event and may only beslightly deterred, for instance by requiring more frequentre-authentication to the network (e.g., to verify that the user isindeed the user corresponding the behavioral profile). If thequestionable behavior trends continue, more proactive countermeasurescan be launched under the assumption that the longer the questionablebehavior continues the more likely it is that the behavior is indeedrisky or, perhaps, malicious. If intermediate and increasingly severecountermeasures (such as traffic-shaping slowing the user's networkconnection or more frequent re-authentications to the network) do notnudge the user to cease the behavior on the system, more draconiancountermeasures can finally be applied (e.g., as a last resort), such ascompletely terminating the user's connection, locking the user out ofthe network for a set period of time, or sending a digital alert to ITpersonnel to personally intervene. In another example, a range ofcountermeasures can be applied based on the detected severity of theevent itself. For instance, some activities (within a particularcategory of user system behavior) can be allowed much leeway, while moreegregious violations or behaviors being so tightly controlled andcountered by deployed countermeasures that the user is practicallylocked out of the system. Indeed, countermeasures can be applied thatare proportionate to the severity (or riskiness) of the detectedbehavior.

Turning to FIGS. 4A-4C, block diagrams 400 a-c are shown representingthe identification of risk events from behavioral profiles or baselinesdeveloped for particular users or user groups. For instance, in FIG. 4A,aggregate behavior 405 can be identified for a particular user 410identified within a particular system, for instance, through a pluralityof data and events identified and collected by security tools monitoringdevices, transactions, and other aspects of the system that relate tothe user's 410 use of the system over a period of time. Accordingly, theaggregate behavior 405 identified for the user 410 can be used togenerate one or more behavioral profiles (e.g., 415) for the user 410.As an example, the number and frequency of emails sent by the userthrough a mail server of the system can be monitored and catalogued toidentify trends and patterns in the user's email behavior. Further, morerecently identified user activities can be weighted heavier inidentifying and characterizing the expected usage tendencies by the user410 in generated behavioral profiles (e.g., 415) for the user.

User activity 420 relating to a particular, established behavioralprofile 415 can be monitored and compared against the behavioral profile415 to identify whether current usage of the system by the user 410 isin keeping with what is expected for the user. Identifying abnormalitiesin user behavior can serve as the basis for predicting that a securityor risk event is taking place or in danger of taking place in connectionwith what appears to be abnormal behavior by the user or behavior of auser other than the particular user (e.g., an unauthorized usermasquerading as the user). User behavior can naturally deviate from dayto day from baseline behavioral characteristics expected of the user anddefined in the behavioral profile data 415 of the user. Accordingly,some degree of deviations from the expected behavioral profile 415 canbe tolerated so as to permit organic fluctuations in a human user'sbehavior. Thresholds can be defined for determining whether userbehavior diverges in a meaningful or potentially threatening way fromthe behavioral profile 415 of the user 410. For instance, user actions420 within the system can be identified and processed to detect that thecharacter of the actions 420 statistically vary or deviate from theexpected norm beyond a certain tolerated threshold (such as a number ofstandard deviations or percentage deviations from the behavioral profile415). For instance, in the example of FIG. 4A, user behavior 425identified from monitored actions 420 can be analyzed to identify twospikes (e.g., 430 a, 430 b) or deviations from behavioral profile 415that exceed a predefined tolerated threshold for such deviations. Ininstances where deviations exceed a tolerated threshold, enhancedmonitoring of the user, corresponding devices and activities can betriggered as well as countermeasures triggered based on the detecteddeviations (e.g., 430 a, 430 b).

In one illustrative example, Internet usage behavior (e.g., 405) of auser 410 can be monitored to identify expected Internet usage behaviorfor the user in behavioral profile 415. For instance, a behavioralprofile (e.g., 415) can be developed that shows trends in a user'sInternet usage over enterprise system infrastructure over a period oftime (e.g., typical daily or monthly use, etc.). Subsequent userbehavior (e.g., 420) that deviates significantly from the expectedbehavioral profile 415 (e.g., 430 a, 430 b) can be identified and usedas the basis for enhanced monitoring of the user's Internet usage ortriggering countermeasure's affecting the user's Internet usage over theenterprise system and devices known to access the enterprise system.

As shown in FIG. 4B, other actions 435 identified for a user 410 of asystem can be compared against corresponding behavioral profile data 415(including behavioral profiles identified as corresponding or relevantto the type of actions identified) to determine that the user's behaviorfalls within tolerances of behavior corresponding to what is expectedfrom the user 410 based on the behavioral profile 415. In someinstances, identifying that user actions 435 generally comport withbehavioral profile data 415 for the user 410 can prompt no action by thesystem and corresponding behavioral risk analysis tools. In otherinstances, identifying user action 435 can result in fine-tuning,modification, or adjustment (i.e., 450) of the behavioral profile 415.For instance, one or more user interactions 435 with the system can beidentified and support a determination that a previously-determinedbehavioral profile (either for a user or group of users) be changedbased on the newly-received interactions. In other words, as additionaluser behavior is detected by the system that relates to apreviously-generated behavioral profile 415, the behavioral profile canbe changed to reflect this additional intelligence.

In the example of FIG. 4B, user actions 435 in a system are identifiedand compared against behavioral profiles (e.g., 415) for the user. Fromthe comparison it can be determined that the user's immediate behavior(e.g., 440) deviates (e.g., at 445 a-b) from behavioral profile 415, butwithin the threshold tolerances allowed by the system. Further, based onthe detection of deviations 445 a-b(or a recurring pattern of suchdeviations 445 a-b), the behavioral profile 415, itself, can bemodified, updated, or adjusted 450 (e.g., at 460, 465), to reflect thetendencies of the user reflected in behavior 440.

Turning to FIG. 4C, as noted above, behavioral profiles can be generatedfor groups of users (e.g., 410, 471-474), such as from the aggregatemonitoring of actions 470 of users in the group. For instance, groupscan comprise business units or departments, geographies (e.g., bycountry), employment status, among other conceivable groupings of peoplewithin a system's organization. Indeed, in some instances, a group cancomprise all users registered or known within a system. In still otherexamples, a group can include non-registered system users, such as guestusers of the system. While monitoring actions on a system (e.g., at oneor more security tools monitoring the system), actions detected duringthe monitoring can be associated with particular users, the identity ofthe user allowing the actions to be further associated with groupsincluding the user. Accordingly, a plurality of detected actions can beassociated with groups and be used to generate a group-based behavioralprofile 480 from the collected actions (e.g., 470).

As in the example of FIG. 4A, a particular action 420 (or set ofactions) by a particular user (e.g., 410) identified in the group can beidentified exemplifying behavior 425 that deviates (e.g., at 485 a, 485b) from the behavioral profile 480 for the group. Indeed, a user'sbehavior 425 can be identified as deviating beyond a specified thresholdfor deviations from the behavioral profile 480. Further, a particularuser's activities 420 can be identified as a violation or deviation of aplurality of different behavioral profiles (e.g., 415 and 480),including a plurality of user-based behavioral profiles (e.g., 415), aplurality of different group-based behavioral profiles (e.g., 480), orcombinations of both user-based and group-based behavioral profiles.Additionally, where user actions (e.g., 420) and behavior (e.g., 425,based at least in part on action 420) deviate from multiple behavioralprofiles, the behavior can deviate in different ways and for differentreasons from the respective different behavioral profiles. Stillfurther, the riskiness or seriousness of a user's behavior 425 as wellas a security system's response to the detected deviations (e.g., 430 a,430 b, 485 a, 485 b), such as the type and severity of countermeasureslaunched in response to the behavior 425, can be based on the fact thatparticular behavior (e.g., 425) violates multiple different behavioralprofiles (e.g., 415, 480). In other instances, deviations from multipledifferent behavioral profiles can be dealt with independently by thesecurity system.

While the examples of FIGS. 4A-4C represent behavioral profiles usingdiagrams 415, 455, 480, it should be appreciated that these diagrams aremerely provided as illustrative examples and do not necessarilyrepresent actual embodiments of behavioral profiles. Additionally, theexamples of FIGS. 4A-4C should be generally understood as non-limiting,illustrative examples. While examples above described an examplebehavioral profile that tracks a user (or group of users') tendencieswithin a given time period (such as patterns of average observed emailor Internet traffic involving the user over the course of a day orweek), a variety of different behavioral profiles can be generated andmaintained for users of a system, including customized behavioralprofiles adapted to the particular security risk and concerns of a givensystem (e.g., as defined by the system's administrators). As examples, abehavioral profile can describe the types or identities of websitestypically accessed by a user, the average range of email attachmentsizes sent (or downloaded) by the user, the system resources (e.g.,shared drives, files, databases, etc.) typically accessed by the user orgroup of users, among potentially limitless additional examples.

Turning now to FIGS. 5A-5B, schematic representations 500 a-b are shownillustrating interactions of system components in connection withmonitoring of user behavior at host- or end-user-devices used by aparticular user. For instance, in FIG. 5A, an end user device 505 on asystem 510. The end user device 505 can include a behavioral risk agent515 loaded, installed, or otherwise available to the end user device505. The behavioral risk agent 515 can operate in connection with one ormore back end services or components, such as user risk assessmentbackend 520. Risk events alerting a system of particular risky behaviordetected at any one of a plurality of end user devices, including enduser device 505, can be based on predetermined user behavior rules 525,for instance, maintained in one or more data structures or data stores(e.g., 530). A subset of the user behavior rules can be applied againsta particular device (e.g., 505) based on a detected identity of the usercurrently using the device. The subset of behavior rules can beidentified, for instance, based on a determination that certain rulesare relevant to or apply to the particular user based, for instance, onthe user's role, access rights, behavioral profiles (such as behavioralprofiles generated consistent with the examples of FIGS. 4A and 4C). Thesubset of user behavior rules applied against a particular device (anduser) can be further identified and determined based on the behavioralrules' applicability to a given device. For instance, use behavior rulesrelating to user Internet access and usage may be disregarded inmonitoring of devices where Internet connectivity is unavailable ordisabled.

In the example of FIG. 5A, behavioral risk agent 515 can monitor anddetect certain user-initiated activities at the device 505, such asaccording to rules 525 identified for the user, and communicate 545 thedetection of the activities to user risk assessment backend 520. In someimplementations, behavioral risk agent 515 can be provided with logic tocompare 550 the activity against applicable rules 525 and make at leasta preliminary determination that a rule (e.g., from 525) may have beenviolated based on the activities identified at the behavioral risk agent515. Indeed, in such instances, behavioral risk agent 515 can simplycommunicate (e.g., at 545) a detected rule violation to the user riskassessment backend 520 for use by the user risk assessment backend 520in triggering corresponding countermeasures or defining or updating of arisk profile, score, or reputation for the device's (i.e., 505) user. Inother instances, user risk assessment backend 520 can process thecommunication 545 of the identified activities and perform at least aportion of the check 550 of the detected activities against rules 525 toidentify, corroborate, or confirm a violation of the rules 525. Indeed,in either implementation, user risk assessment backend 520 can generateor update a user risk profile, score, or reputation based on anidentified rule violation.

In addition to identifying activities that violate rules 525 as well asrule violations themselves, behavioral risk agent 515 can also identifyand report seemingly benign user activities identified at the device505. Such information can also be used, for instance, to provide contextfor the frequency of rule violations by the user. For instance,reporting of benign user activities can communicate an indication of howmuch user activity takes place between detected rule violations. Forinstance, a user's reputation or risk score can be determined, at leastin part, based on the frequency of risk events or behavior ruleviolations by the user.

Turning to FIG. 5B, user risk assessment backend 520 can communicate andoperate cooperatively with one or more other security tools inconnection with events and activities detected using behavioral riskagent 515 at end user device 505. For instance, in some implementations,in response to receiving a communication (e.g., 545) of a detected ruleviolation (or activities determined to violate one or more rules 525),user risk assessment backend 520 can communicate 555 the occurrence ofthe rule violation to a risk assessment engine (e.g., 535) that canutilize feedback data from a plurality of security tools, including userrisk assessment backend 520, to determine a composite risk score orassessment of a particular user. In some instances, user risk assessmentbackend 520 can generate reputation scores for users (i.e., based onfeedback from behavioral risk agents (e.g., 515)) that are distinct fromcomposite risk assessments generated based on data from a plurality ofsecurity tools (e.g., 540), including security tools (e.g., in securitytool deployment 210 of FIG. 2) operating remote from and/or monitoringsystem components remote from the end user devices 505 actually used bythe system's 510 users. Indeed, a reputation score generated for theuser from feedback received from behavioral risk agents can be factoredinto a composite risk assessment generated for the user.

In other implementations, risk assessment engine 535 can also generaterisk scores based on feedback from behavioral risk agents (e.g., 515)operating on end user devices (e.g., 505) on the system 510. Indeed, insome alternate implementations, behavioral risk agents (e.g., 515) cancommunicate directly with risk assessment engine 535 in connection withthe generation of risk scores for a user and the launching ofcountermeasures responsive to detected rule violations (i.e., inimplementations where behavioral risk agents 515 are equipped with logicallowing for not only the detection of activities on end user devicesbut a determination of whether the detected activities violate one ormore rule 525).

In connection with the identification of a rule violation, based ondevice activities identified by a behavioral risk agent (e.g., 515),risk assessment engine can determine one or more countermeasures (e.g.,565) to launch to counteract the detected violation. In some instances,the countermeasure 565 determined to be responsive to an identified ruleviolation can be provided by security tools (e.g., 540 remote from theend user device 505). In some implementations, a centralized riskassessment engine (e.g., 535) coordinating multiple security toolswithin a system 510 can broker the triggering of countermeasures basedon events identified using behavioral risk agents. In otherimplementations, using behavioral risk agents 515 with more robust logicand feature sets, behavioral risk agent 515 can participate in thetriggering of countermeasures responsive to an identified ruleviolation. This can include the behavioral risk agent 515 being used tocommunicate with other security tools (e.g., 565) as well as launchingcountermeasures on the end user device 505 itself. For instance, a ruleviolation relating to a user exceeding a permitted number of uploads toremovable storage media (e.g., CDs, thumb drives, etc.), can becounteracted by behavioral risk agent 515 triggering a countermeasurethat disables use of a CD drive, USB drive, etc. on the device 505.

Risk assessment engine 535 can also be equipped to handle dataidentifying behaviors at end user devices 505 to develop, fine-tune, orotherwise manage rules, triggers, and statistical baselines based onaggregated behaviors of multiple users across a system (e.g., asdescribed, for instance, in connection with FIG. 4C). Data communicatedfrom end user devices (e.g., 505) (for instance, via user riskassessment backend 520) can be applied to and affect existing rules,triggers, as well as other statistical measures to influence how thereported behavior, as well as subsequently detected and reportedbehavior (e.g., at end user device 505 or other systems (e.g., securitytool 540)) will be handled).

FIG. 6 includes a representation 600 of a composite risk assessmentconsidering behavioral risk within a system. As noted above, risk scorescan be generated for each of a plurality of users (e.g., 605, 610, 615)on the system. Users' scores can be based on the users' 605, 610, 615respective uses of devices 620, 625, 630 on the system. Further, asnoted above, risk scores can be generated or calculated for each of thedevices (e.g., 620, 625, 630) on the system. Composite risk scores 635,640, 645 can be generated based on identified associations between usersand devices in the system. For instance, it can be identified that aparticular device (e.g., 620), having a first device risk score, isassigned or being used by a particular user 605 having a first user riskscore. A composite risk score 635 can be generated for the user(605)-device (620) combination based on the particular user's 605 use ofthe particular device 620. For instance, a device's 620 risk profile canbe based on particular vulnerabilities detected at the device 620. Theriskiness of the device's 620 use within the system can be enhanced by aparticular user's use of the device 620. Indeed, depending on thebehavioral tendencies of one user relative another user, the use of aparticular device by the one user can be riskier (i.e., to the system)that use of the same device by the other user. For instance, aparticular user's risk profile can indicate that they are likely to usedevice 620 in such a way that makes the introduction of threats orexploitations of the device's 620 vulnerabilities more likely thanduring use by another user or even an average hypothetical user. Forinstance, correlations can be identified between factors contributing todevice's 620 risk score and factors contributing to user's 605 riskscore. Such identified correlations can be used to determine that theparticular device-user combination enhances the riskiness of the device(or user) or even, in some instances, decreases the riskiness of thedevice or user. For instance, a user 605 whose risk score is based onthe effects of the user's 605 perceived proclivity to engage in riskyonline activity using an average hypothetical device, may be determinedto be less risky when the user 605 is utilizing a device with particularfunctionality, tools, or countermeasures employed that counteract theuser's 605 risky behavior. Alternatively, the risk to a system of adevice with relatively low firewall or malware protection can increasewhen used by a user with a proclivity to engage in risky onlineactivity. Indeed, the deployment of particular security tools orcountermeasures on a device's (e.g., 620, 625, 630) can be considered inthe risk score or profile determined for a device.

Continuing with the description of principles illustrated in therepresentation 600 of FIG. 6, composite risk profiles 635, 640, 645 canbe generated for each device-user combination discovered on the system.It should be noted that users can be associated with multiple differentdevices and devices can be associated with multiple users, suchmany-to-many relationships also being reflected in generated compositerisk profiles for the various device-user combinations. Further, asystem or sub-system composite score 650 can be generated based on anaggregation or calculation considering a plurality of device-usercomposite risk scores (e.g., 635, 640, 645). By incorporatingassessments of the riskiness of devices based on the relative riskinessof their corresponding users, an overall risk profile 650 determined fora set of devices or a system-at-large can more accurately reflect therisk present on a system than if risk were assessed based on userbehavioral risk independent from device risk.

FIG. 7A is a simplified flowchart 700 a illustrating an exampletechnique for identifying a deviation from a behavioral profile of auser of a system. An existing behavioral profile can be identified 705that applies to a particular user of the system. The behavioral profilecan correspond to the particular user as an individual user or to agroup of system users to which the particular user belongs. Thebehavioral profile can be generated based on assessment data receivedfrom a plurality of remote security tools monitoring security conditionsof the system and adapted to identify data relating to prior activitiesof the particular user on the system. Further, activities of the usercan be identified 710, for instance, by these same security tools, andthe identified activities can be identified 710 as relating to theidentified behavioral profile. It can be determined 715 whether theidentified activities of the user deviate from the behavioral profilebeyond a particular tolerated threshold for such deviations. If it isdetermined 715 that the identified activity deviates from the behavioralprofile beyond the tolerated threshold, a risk event can be triggered720 relating to the deviation. Further, in some instances, acountermeasure can be triggered 725 to counteract the detected riskevent (e.g., at 720). In the event the activity is determined 715 todeviate minimally or otherwise within the tolerated threshold from thebehavioral profile, the activities can be ignored. In some instances,the behavioral profile can be modified 730 based on the identifieddeviation from the behavioral profile. Indeed, deviations beyond thetolerated threshold for the identified behavioral profile can alsoresult in modification of the behavioral profile to better reflect themost-recent behavior of the user.

FIG. 7B is a simplified flowchart 700 b illustrating an exampletechnique for detecting system use violations at an end user deviceassociated with a particular user of the system. Activities performed bythe particular user on the end user device can be detected by an agentinstalled on the end user device and monitoring activities on the enduser device (e.g., in connection with a set of system use rulescorresponding to the device and/or the particular user). The detectionof such events can be identified 735, for instance, by the agent itselfor by remote and/or backend support components that receive anidentification of the detected activity from the agent. It can bedetermined 740, using one or both of the agent and backend supportcomponents, whether the detected activity qualifies as a pre-defined useviolation. If it is determined 740 that the detected activity qualifiesas a pre-defined use violation, for instance, due to the detectedactivity's violation of a particular system usage rule, a risk event canbe triggered 750. As in the example of FIG. 7A, in some cases,identification of a risk event (e.g., at 750) can trigger 755 acountermeasure to counteract the risk event. Identification of the riskevent (e.g., at 750) can also be considered in the determination (orupdating) 760 of a behavioral risk score for the user. Alternatively, ifit is determined that the detected activity does not qualify as a useviolation, the activity, in some cases can be ignored, while in othercases, the activity is used in the determination (or updating) of abehavioral risk score for the user.

As noted above, tasks included in the techniques illustrated inflowcharts 700 a and 700 b can be at least partially combined, forinstance, to corroborate detected risk events. For instance, as shown inthe flowchart 700 c of FIG. 7C, user activities can be identified (e.g.,at 710, 735) and compared (e.g., 715) against an established behavioralprofile corresponding to the user or against a set of system usage rulesor pre-defined system use violations (e.g., at 740). Further, adetermination that an identified activity (e.g., detected at securitytools monitoring remote from or downstream from the user's end userdevice) deviates from the behavioral profile can be compared 765 withidentified use violations based on activities detected at the end userdevice by an agent installed on the end user device. If a correlation isidentified (e.g., at 765) between the identified deviation from thebehavioral profile and a detected use violation at the end user device,additional confidence can be ascribed to a determination that thedetected activities correspond to a substantive risk or security event,thereby triggering 770 identification or determination of acorresponding risk event. As in the previous examples, in someinstances, determination (e.g., at 770) of the risk event based on thecorrelation, can further result in triggering 775 of a countermeasure tocounteract the determined risk event.

Continuing with the example of FIG. 7C, failure to identify acorrelation (e.g., at 765) between the identified deviation from thebehavioral profile and the detected use violation at the end user devicecan nonetheless result in the determination of one or more risk events(e.g., consistent with the triggering 720, 755 of risk events in theexamples of FIGS. 7A and 7B). Indeed, separate risk events can begenerated corresponding to each of the identified deviation from thebehavioral profile and the detected use violation. In some instances,countermeasures (e.g., at 775) applied to remedy determined risk eventsbased on an identified correlation between an identified deviation froma behavioral profile and a detected use violation can be different(e.g., more targeted, more proactive or severe, etc.) thancountermeasures applied to risk events determined from a substantiallysimilar deviation from the behavioral profile or detected use violation(i.e., where no correlation was determined 765 and less confidenceexists to justify the countermeasure).

Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certainimplementations and generally associated methods, alterations andpermutations of these implementations and methods will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. For example, the actions described herein canbe performed in a different order than as described and still achievethe desirable results. As one example, the processes depicted in theaccompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular ordershown, or sequential order, to achieve the desired results. In certainimplementations, multitasking and parallel processing may beadvantageous. Additionally, diverse user interface layouts andfunctionality can be supported. Additionally, while the abovedescription focuses on applying the above principles to the generationof customized whitelists, similar principles can be applied togenerating other such listings used in security tasks, includingtailored blacklists. Other variations are within the scope of thefollowing claims.

Embodiments of the subject matter and the operations described in thisspecification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or incomputer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structuresdisclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or incombinations of one or more of them. Embodiments of the subject matterdescribed in this specification can be implemented as one or morecomputer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer programinstructions, encoded on computer storage medium for execution by, or tocontrol the operation of, data processing apparatus. Alternatively or inaddition, the program instructions can be encoded on an artificiallygenerated propagated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical,optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encodeinformation for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus forexecution by a data processing apparatus. A computer storage medium canbe, or be included in, a computer-readable storage device, acomputer-readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memoryarray or device, or a combination of one or more of them. Moreover,while a computer storage medium is not a propagated signal per se, acomputer storage medium can be a source or destination of computerprogram instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagatedsignal. The computer storage medium can also be, or be included in, oneor more separate physical components or media (e.g., multiple CDs,disks, or other storage devices), including a distributed softwareenvironment or cloud computing environment.

The operations described in this specification can be implemented asoperations performed by a data processing apparatus on data stored onone or more computer-readable storage devices or received from othersources. The terms “data processing apparatus,” “processor,” “processingdevice,” and “computing device” can encompass all kinds of apparatus,devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example aprogrammable processor, a computer, a system on a chip, or multipleones, or combinations, of the foregoing. The apparatus can includegeneral or special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., a central processingunit (CPU), a blade, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), among other suitable options.While some processors and computing devices have been described and/orillustrated as a single processor, multiple processors may be usedaccording to the particular needs of the associated server. Referencesto a single processor are meant to include multiple processors whereapplicable. Generally, the processor executes instructions andmanipulates data to perform certain operations. An apparatus can alsoinclude, in addition to hardware, code that creates an executionenvironment for the computer program in question, e.g., code thatconstitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database managementsystem, an operating system, a cross-platform runtime environment, avirtual machine, or a combination of one or more of them. The apparatusand execution environment can realize various different computing modelinfrastructures, such as web services, distributed computing and gridcomputing infrastructures.

A computer program (also known as a program, software, softwareapplication, script, module, (software) tools, (software) engines, orcode) can be written in any form of programming language, includingcompiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages,and it can be deployed in any form, including as a standalone program oras a module, component, subroutine, object, or other unit suitable foruse in a computing environment. For instance, a computer program mayinclude computer-readable instructions, firmware, wired or programmedhardware, or any combination thereof on a tangible medium operable whenexecuted to perform at least the processes and operations describedherein. A computer program may, but need not, correspond to a file in afile system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holdsother programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markuplanguage document), in a single file dedicated to the program inquestion, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store oneor more modules, sub programs, or portions of code). A computer programcan be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computersthat are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites andinterconnected by a communication network.

Programs can be implemented as individual modules that implement thevarious features and functionality through various objects, methods, orother processes, or may instead include a number of sub-modules, thirdparty services, components, libraries, and such, as appropriate.Conversely, the features and functionality of various components can becombined into single components as appropriate. In certain cases,programs and software systems may be implemented as a composite hostedapplication. For example, portions of the composite application may beimplemented as Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs) or design-time componentsmay have the ability to generate run-time implementations into differentplatforms, such as J2EE (Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition), ABAP(Advanced Business Application Programming) objects, or Microsoft's.NET, among others. Additionally, applications may represent web-basedapplications accessed and executed via a network (e.g., through theInternet). Further, one or more processes associated with a particularhosted application or service may be stored, referenced, or executedremotely. For example, a portion of a particular hosted application orservice may be a web service associated with the application that isremotely called, while another portion of the hosted application may bean interface object or agent bundled for processing at a remote client.Moreover, any or all of the hosted applications and software service maybe a child or sub-module of another software module or enterpriseapplication (not illustrated) without departing from the scope of thisdisclosure. Still further, portions of a hosted application can beexecuted by a user working directly at a server hosting the application,as well as remotely at a client.

The processes and logic flows described in this specification can beperformed by one or more programmable processors executing one or morecomputer programs to perform actions by operating on input data andgenerating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performedby, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logiccircuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC(application specific integrated circuit).

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, andany one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, aprocessor will receive instructions and data from a read only memory ora random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer area processor for performing actions in accordance with instructions andone or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally,a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive datafrom or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices forstoring data, e.g., magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks.However, a computer need not have such devices. Moreover, a computer canbe embedded in another device, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), tablet computer, a mobile audio or videoplayer, a game console, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, or aportable storage device (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) flashdrive), to name just a few. Devices suitable for storing computerprogram instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory,media and memory devices, including by way of example semiconductormemory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magneticdisks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto opticaldisks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can besupplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, embodiments of the subjectmatter described in this specification can be implemented on a computerhaving a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquidcrystal display) monitor, for displaying information to the user and akeyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by whichthe user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices canbe used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example,feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g.,visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input fromthe user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, ortactile input. In addition, a computer can interact with a user bysending documents to and receiving documents from a device, includingremote devices, which are used by the user.

Embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can beimplemented in a computing system that includes a back end component,e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g.,an application server, or that includes a front end component, e.g., aclient computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browserthrough which a user can interact with an implementation of the subjectmatter described in this specification, or any combination of one ormore such back end, middleware, or front end components. The componentsof the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digitaldata communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples ofcommunication networks include any internal or external network,networks, sub-network, or combination thereof operable to facilitatecommunications between various computing components in a system. Anetwork may communicate, for example, Internet Protocol (IP) packets,Frame Relay frames, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells, voice,video, data, and other suitable information between network addresses.The network may also include one or more local area networks (LANs),radio access networks (RANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), widearea networks (WANs), all or a portion of the Internet, peer-to-peernetworks (e.g., ad hoc peer-to-peer networks), and/or any othercommunication system or systems at one or more locations.

The computing system can include clients and servers. A client andserver are generally remote from each other and typically interactthrough a communication network. The relationship of client and serverarises by virtue of computer programs running on the respectivecomputers and having a client-server relationship to each other. In someembodiments, a server transmits data (e.g., an HTML page) to a clientdevice (e.g., for purposes of displaying data to and receiving userinput from a user interacting with the client device). Data generated atthe client device (e.g., a result of the user interaction) can bereceived from the client device at the server.

While this specification contains many specific implementation details,these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of anyinventions or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions offeatures specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions.Certain features that are described in this specification in the contextof separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in asingle embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described inthe context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multipleembodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover,although features may be described above as acting in certaincombinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more featuresfrom a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from thecombination, and the claimed combination may be directed to asubcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particularorder, this should not be understood as requiring that such operationsbe performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, orthat all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirableresults. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processingmay be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various systemcomponents in the embodiments described above should not be understoodas requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should beunderstood that the described program components and systems cangenerally be integrated together in a single software product orpackaged into multiple software products.

Thus, particular embodiments of the subject matter have been described.Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. In somecases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a differentorder and still achieve desirable results. In addition, the processesdepicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require theparticular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirableresults.

What is claimed is:
 1. At least one non-transitory machine accessiblestorage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions whenexecuted on a machine, cause the machine to: receive data from acomputing device, wherein the data describes: a plurality of activitiesdetected at the computing device and performed by the particular userwhile using the computing device, and a potential violation of aparticular one of a set of rules, wherein a particular one of theplurality of activities comprises the potential violation, and thepotential violation is determined at the computing device; determinethat the potential violation qualifies as a particular use violation ina plurality of pre-defined use violations; determine a behavioral riskscore for the particular user based at least in part on thedetermination of the particular use violation and one or more otheractivities in the plurality of activities; receive data from thecomputing device identifying a determination by the computing device ofa potential violation of a different, second set of rules based on asecond activity performed by a second user using the computing device,wherein application of the second set of rules is based at least in parton identification of the second user using the computing device; anddetermine whether the potential violation of the second set of rulesqualifies as at least one use violation in the plurality of pre-defineduse violations.
 2. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the set ofrules in one of a plurality of sets of rules and application of the setof rules is based at least in part on identification of the particularuser and use of the computing device, wherein the computing device is aparticular one of a plurality of computing devices.
 3. The storagemedium of claim 1, wherein the set of rules is an extensible set ofrules adapted to be supplemented and modified by user inputs and atleast one rule in the set of rules is a user-defined rule.
 4. Thestorage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pre-defined useviolations includes less than all of a set of available pre-defined useviolations and the plurality of pre-defined use violations is a firstset of pre-defined use violations identified as corresponding to theparticular user.
 5. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein theparticular user is one of a plurality of users including a second user,wherein a second set of pre-defined use violations correspond to thesecond user and the second set of pre-defined use violations does notinclude the particular use violations, wherein performance of theparticular activity by the second user does not qualify as a useviolation.
 6. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the first set ofpre-defined use violations is identified as corresponding to theparticular user based at least in part on at least one of a tenure ofthe particular user in an organization, a role of the particular user inan organization, a title of the particular user in an organization, ageographical location of the particular user, and a risk profile of theparticular user.
 7. The storage medium of claim 4, wherein the first setof pre-defined violations are identified as also corresponding to thecomputing device, the computing device included in a plurality ofcomputing devices in a computing system.
 8. The storage medium of claim1, wherein the behavioral score includes sub-scores representingreputation of the particular user in each of a plurality of usecategories.
 9. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality ofuse categories includes at least one of user email use reputation, userInternet use reputation, user authentication risk reputation, userexternal memory device use reputation, and user shared system resourceuse reputation.
 10. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein theinstructions, when executed, further cause the machine to trigger atleast one countermeasure to counter risk associated with the particularuse violation, the countermeasure triggered in response to determiningthat the particular activity qualifies as the particular use violation.11. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein triggering thecountermeasure includes identifying that the particular use violationexceeds a particular threshold.
 12. The storage medium of claim 11,wherein the particular threshold is at least one of a time-basedthreshold identifying a length of time of the particular use violation,a repetition-based threshold identifying a number of repeated instancesof the particular use violation by the particular user, a time-of-daythreshold, and a severity-based threshold identifying a determinedseverity of the particular use violation.
 13. The storage medium ofclaim 1, wherein a software-implemented agent installed on the computingdevice detects the particular activity and sends information to a remoteuser behavioral risk analysis engine describing the detected particularactivity.
 14. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the user behavioralrisk analysis engine further uses corroborating data received from asecurity tool monitoring activities of the computing device remote fromthe computing device to determine that the particular activity qualifiesas the particular use violation.
 15. The storage medium of claim 1,wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine todetermine an identity of the particular user in connection with theperformance of the particular activity.
 16. The storage medium of claim1, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machineto: identify determination, at a second computing device, of a secondpotential violation of the set of rules based on a second activityperformed by the particular user using the second computing device; anddetermine that the second potential violation qualifies as at least oneuse violation in the plurality of pre-defined use violations; whereinthe behavioral risk score for the particular user is further based, atleast in part, on the determination of the at least one use violation.17. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein a second behavioral riskscore is determined for the second user based at least in part on thedetermination of the at least one use violation in the plurality ofpre-defined use violations.
 18. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein abehavioral profile is associated with the particular user describingexpected tendencies of the particular user during use of a computingsystem including the computing device, and determination that theparticular activity qualifies as a particular use violation in aplurality of pre-defined use violations corroborates a determinationthat other activity on the computing system associated with theparticular user deviates from the behavioral profile.
 19. The storagemedium of claim 18, wherein the determination that other activity on thecomputing system associated with the particular user deviates from thebehavioral profile is determined from feedback data received from atleast one security tool monitoring components of the computing systemremote from the computing device.
 20. A method comprising: receivingdata from a computing device, wherein the data describes: a plurality ofactivities detected at the computing device and performed by theparticular user while using the computing device, and a potentialviolation of a particular one of a set of rules, wherein a particularone of the plurality of activities comprises the potential violation,and the potential violation is determined at the computing device;determining that the potential violation qualifies as a particular useviolation in a plurality of pre-defined use violations; determining abehavioral risk score for the particular user based at least in part onthe determination of the particular use violation and one or more otheractivities in the plurality of activities; receiving data from thecomputing device identifying a determination by the computing device ofa potential violation of a different, second set of rules based on asecond activity performed by a second user using the computing device,wherein application of the second set of rules is based at least in parton identification of the second user using the computing device; anddetermining whether the potential violation of the second set of rulesqualifies as at least one use violation in the plurality of pre-defineduse violations.
 21. A system comprising: at least one processor device;at least one memory element; and a user behavioral risk analysis tool,adapted when executed by the at least one processor device to: receivefirst data from a computing device, wherein the first data describes: aplurality of activities detected at the computing device and performedby the particular user while using the computing device, and a potentialviolation of a particular one of a set of rules, wherein a particularone of the plurality of activities comprises the potential violation,and the potential violation is determined at the computing device;determine that the potential violation qualifies as a particular useviolation in a plurality of pre-defined use violations; determine abehavioral risk score for the particular user based at least in part onthe determination of the particular use violation and one or more otheractivities in the plurality of activities; receive second data from thecomputing device identifying a determination by the computing device ofa potential violation of a different, second set of rules based on asecond activity performed by a second user using the computing device,wherein application of the second set of rules is based at least in parton identification of the second user using the computing device; anddetermine whether the potential violation of the second set of rulesqualifies as at least one use violation in the plurality of pre-defineduse violations.
 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first and seconddata is received from an agent installed on the particular computingdevice, wherein the agent detected the particular activity.
 23. Thesystem of claim 21, wherein the user behavioral risk analysis tool isfurther adapted to: identify a predetermined particular behavioralprofile associated with the particular user, the particular behavioralprofile describing expected tendencies of the particular user during useof a computing system including the particular computing device;identify, from feedback data received from one or more security tools,at least one activity of the particular user using the computing system;determine that the at least one activity deviates from the particularbehavioral profile; and identify a correlation between the determineddeviation from the particular behavioral profile and the particular useviolation determined from the detected particular activity.
 24. Thestorage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed,further cause the machine to serve the set of rules to the computingdevice to be used at the computing device in determining potentialviolations of the set of rules of user activities detected at thecomputing device.
 25. The storage medium of claim 24, wherein theinstructions, when executed, further cause the machine to identify thatthe particular user is a user of the computing device and identifyingthat the computing device is of a particular type, wherein the set ofrules corresponds to use of the particular type of computing device bythe particular user.
 26. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein theinstructions, when executed, further cause the machine to: receive datafrom a security tool remote from the computing device, wherein the datafrom the security tool describes a security event detected by thesecurity tool from data communicated over a network, wherein the datacommunicated over the network is identified as associated with theparticular user, and the behavioral risk score for the particular useris further based on the security event.
 27. The storage medium of claim1, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine toidentify security attributes of the computing device, wherein thebehavioral risk score comprises a score for a pairing of the particularuser and the computing device and is further based on the identifiedsecurity attributes of the computing device.